48. Growing Up Healthy and Strong
48. Growing Up Healthy and Strong
As a result, I ended up helping Noah's friend, Katrina.
To be precise, I suppose you could say I accepted a kind of quest to help a young lady named Katrina Valerance.
The content was for the young lady to become a Silver Rank adventurer within about a year, while also achieving good grades and evaluations at the Academy.
As the right person for the job, I—a former Gold Rank adventurer who graduated from the Academy—was the perfect fit.
Plus, she was an acquaintance of an acquaintance.
It was a choice that could only be called reasonable in its own way.
"Noah, recite for me how things are going at your Academy these days."
"...Suddenly?"
"You come looking for me in the morning because you have nothing better to do anyway. Just tell me a bit about it."
"Okay...?"
(That was how yesterday's conversation ended.)
(I wouldn't be helping with a huge amount directly, but... still, there was a need to help in earnest.)
"Just tell me normally about the recent atmosphere at the Academy... or the popular kids, the smart kids. Things like that."
"Everyone seems a bit busy lately because of exam prep and assignments. It doesn't feel lively; it's more like the mood is a bit down...?"
"Hmm...."
"What you mentioned, Noona... I talked about it before, too. There are just some kids from good families, and occasionally people like the Mage Tower Master's disciples?"
"I see."
(It was a much simpler state compared to the past.)
(Back in those days, there were royals and all sorts of things.)
(And demi-humans inside the Academy too....)
"Ah, are there not many demi-humans these days? Like Snow Women."
"There are quite a lot of Beastkin, right? I heard they've increased over the past few years, though I don't know much about that part.... If you walk around the Academy, it feels like one in ten is a Beastkin."
"I see. I guess I can assume the overall ratio of demi-humans is about one-tenth."
(I slowly checked the information about the Academy, but it had become a bit more comfortable than when I attended.)
(Actually, the atmosphere itself had become more lenient than before.)
(Right now, the fact that a kid like Noah can slip out in the middle of class is.......)
"Hey, you have Morgan among your teachers when you take swordsmanship class, right?"
"Yes, she is there."
"......."
(It seems Morgan allowed that, too.)
(It was something I couldn't even imagine when I was attending the Academy.)
(It seems true that the atmosphere is generally more comfortable and lighter than before.)
(Considering that was a whopping 10 years ago, it made sense in its own way.)
(It was chaotic back then, but if the Academy were chaotic every single year, wouldn't that be strange?)
(As a result of continuing to hear stories from Noah, it seemed that solving the quest itself would be simple.)
(In my time, I was busy because of royals and Mage Tower bastards.)
(Now there's none of that, and they'll be able to attend classes, study, and take exams normally....)
(The only problematic part would be the adventurer side.)
(The person herself is aiming for Silver or Gold Rank.)
(That wasn't easy, and the growth of the party members who will be with her until then also needs to follow.)
(Naturally, it was a difficult task.)
(A mere 1 year... it wasn't impossible, but they were still just students in the second semester of their first year at the Academy.)
"You guys, by the way, do you even know what a Gold Rank... no, a Silver Rank adventurer is like?"
"...Strong?"
"Ugh......."
(Well, it was as expected.)
(Of course, it's hard to know the exact level just by hearing the adventurer's rank.)
(If it's obvious... well, it would be obvious.)
(In the first place, I hadn't explained anything other than that a Bronze Rank adventurer defeats an Orc alone.)
"First of all, Gold Rank will be very difficult. At the very least, you'd need to be able to land three hits or more against your master, Morgan."
"...Against Master?"
"Well, your master is also Gold Rank. There are differences in levels even within Gold Rank, but it means you need to be roughly at that level."
"......."
"If we're talking about monsters... hmm, I don't know. Actually, from Bronze onwards, it's divided based on performance to some extent."
(Katrina, that kid is in a hurry because of her family.)
(So she probably spoke normally.)
(But Silver Rank can be said to belong to a fairly recognized level.)
(To the point where it would be fine to quit being an adventurer and enter a decent noble family as a knight.)
(That's just when considering combat power.)
(Also, unlike a knight, there's no need to be polite, no need to worry about this and that while belonging to a family, and there were just various types of people besides holding armor and weapons, right?)
"Silver Rank won't be that simple either."
"Umm......."
"Of course, since I'm helping. First, you should climb to Bronze Rank, and then it's right to think about it. Actually, if I have to be specific... Katrina said you have enough talent for her to take you as a disciple. So, how about it, couldn't you do well?"
(Plus, there will be things learned at the Academy.)
(If you receive both private and public education, it will be helpful as it is.)
(Someday, you'll easily reach Silver Rank.)
"Noona, but why did you listen to Katrina's story? Honestly, I thought you... wouldn't listen to that."
(Noah asked a question while we were talking about adventurers like that.)
(What on earth does this brat think of me?)
(Didn't I clearly treat the kids, including Noah, well usually?)
"Umm.... Well, they're your friends. They're kids, too, and I thought it would be good to help a little."
"...Even enough to help with troublesome work?"
"You're helping with it too, even though it's such troublesome work. Because you're friends."
"...That's true."
"It's just like that. Don't think of it as too troublesome, think of it comfortably. Comfortably."
(It was obvious it would be a troublesome story.)
(But as I told Noah, she was also Noah's friend, and aside from being troublesome, it wasn't difficult.)
"I'm an adult, right? Helping kids and taking care of them. It's nothing at all."
"...Kids."
"There are only 17-year-old brats. Wouldn't it be better to have at least one guardian rather than them trying their best together and causing trouble for no reason?"
"......."
(They might do well among themselves, but everyone is not used to this field.)
(It's better to take care of them as an adult.)
(Honestly, I hate it when they do dangerous things for no reason while doing quests and get hurt....)
(Especially since they are kids I know.)
(The three brats tried their best in their own way, and rather than them getting hurt for no reason while trying to do well, it would be better if I helped a little.)
"Noona."
"Why."
"...It's nothing."
"Is it time to go to class now? Don't you have to go?"
"I have to. Somehow... yes, I should."
"Yeah, listen to class hard, and don't doze off in the middle. Good luck."
"...Yup, Noona, you keep selling well too."
"Yeah."
(It's just, that's how it is.)
(Kids are kids.)
(They need to grow up healthy and strong.)
.
.
.
"Morgan. Do you have time?"
"......."
"I came to talk normally. Don't be suspicious."
"...Why."
"No, your disciple is going to do a Silver Rank challenge as an adventurer this time?"
"...Silver Rank?"
"Yeah, for now, Silver Rank. If it's a kid you acknowledged, he'll reach Gold Rank in an instant, but for now, Silver Rank."
(When Noah went to class, I set up a sign in front of the store for a while and came out.)
(I still haven't fixed the glass door that the bitch standing in front of me broke.)
(Anyway.)
(I came looking for her and immediately started talking about the main point.)
"I want to talk about that for a moment. Do you have time?"
"...I have time."
(Anyway, we didn't have any intention of chatting and talking pleasantly with each other.)
(Straight to the point.)
(I was scheduled to talk about Noah briefly.)
"Silver Rank adventurer... actually, it won't be a big deal, but you've only taught him anti-personnel swordsmanship so far, right? Teach him some anti-monster swordsmanship for a while too."
"......."
"It can't be helped. You can't fight monsters with anti-personnel swordsmanship, and after Bronze Rank, he'll meet medium-sized monsters too. Take care of him a bit."
"When exactly does he have to reach Silver Rank? And when did you find that out? Skadi... Unni."
"Because he visits my convenience store often? And his friends visit often too?"
"Black hair?"
"You and that Noah kid have black hair too, but.... You're probably talking about Iris?"
"Yeah."
"She visits too, and there's one other kid. She tends to visit too."
(Is it because she's a bitch who usually only focuses on swords and training?)
(Of course, it was only once that she visited my convenience store until now.)
(It was plausible enough.)
(At the same time, the way she knew about Iris... it was ridiculous, like she was trying to keep her in check.)
"...Tsk."
"Anyway, teach him things like that. You made such a fuss because you made him hold a shield, right? Wouldn't it be better to just teach him swordsmanship to use against monsters?"
"Got it. I'll do that."
"And apart from your disciple. Pay for my convenience store glass door too. When are you going to fix that? I have to lock and open the door with ice for days now, you know?"
"...I'll do that soon too."
(Seriously... as always, she was a truly ridiculous bitch.)
(If she's an Academy instructor, she must earn a lot of money.)
(Can't you pay for a glass door early in a day or two?)